Diesel vs gas......................

Hannibal wrote:
The tire diameter was shorter on the mid 90's Dodge Cummins so the effective ratio would be similar to the newer ones with 3.73. The problem was not enough horsepower. even my '03 with 460 ft/lbs of torque was slower on the uphills than my '05 Hemi powered Ram with 365 ft/lbs of torque. The Hemi had almost 100 more hp.
On the uphills the Hemi could run in 2nd gear to multiply it's torque by 1.67 where the SO Cummins had to run in direct. 365 X 1.67 = 609 ft/lbs of torque at the drive shaft. The Cummins in direct was pushing it's 460 ft/lbs. Higher horsepower will always equate to more torque at the drive shaft.
transamz, why not just go read Pickuptruck.com's HD shootout? I have a job and family. Far past the age of going out playing drag race up the mountain with my pickup truck. Fact is, we tow everywhere we want to go with my gasser. The hew HO gassers and diesels both will out tow my 5.4L and my Hemi before it. I've owned several diesels. If the benefits were there, I would simply own another one. It's a pickup truck, not a miracle. I think you're making way more out of it than it is.
Here's some reading material for you from the masters of diesel engines. It's horsepower.
http://www.catrvclub.org/PDF_Docs/Understanding_Perf.pdf

If you notice in that link, the torque goes up with the hp. That has nothing to do with what we are comparing. I like to read this stuff and have studied this stuff until my head hurts. If you want to drag race two unloaded vehicles then yes I agree that the gasser will stay with the diesel with the same horsepower but when it come to "work done like towing heavy loads, the gasser will never keep it's speed unless you can hold it at it's max power. How long do you think you gas truck can run at 5,000+ rpms?

Here's some reading for you also. You can't have HP without torque.

HP verses Torque for towing

Some more good reading......


How Force, Power, Torque and Energy Work